CivilWarTalk Throwback Thursday, 1-10-19

James N.

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This week Throwback Thursday revisits 1961 and the beginning of the Civil War Centennial - even the Peanuts gang realized what was going on! I unearthed these recently when looking through some old papers and clippings from the 1960's; can anyone reading this imagine any pop culture icon today like Charles Schulz even knowing there was a civil war, much less recognizing it in a comic strip? And he even knew what were the most prominent songs from the era - even if Snoopy was nonplussed by it all. Below is another cartoon from the Centennial that appeared in the now-long-defunct Look Magazine by artist Ed Fisher lampooning the then-current interest in the first-person accounts that were being published in large numbers at the time:


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Anyone else having (preferably) old Civil War-related photos, memorabilia, or mementoes is welcome and encouraged to share them with us in this weekly thread!
 
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I never expected the comic strip Peanuts of all places to have Civil War references.

There are a number of strips where the kids are wearing kepis, and I think a couple others where the centennial plays a part in the plot. I'll have to dig out my collected volumes and see what else I can find.
 
I never expected the comic strip Peanuts of all places to have Civil War references.
There was even a comic strip devoted to the war called, I believe, Under Two Flags. It began in the long-defunct Dallas Times Herald in the spring of 1961 but only lasted for a few months. I subsequently saw it a couple of years later in another paper while on vacation, so I know it lasted at least that long. It told the story of the war in a straightforward manner although in comic strip form, including a larger color format on Sundays just like all the others.
 
Never noticed it in the 1960's comics, but didn't spend much time with comics with VN to worry about
I don't believe that in 1961 anyone was worrying about it yet - I still wasn't thinking much about it 1964 when I graduated from high school either. It wasn't until a couple of years later that it really began to intrude as the draft grew ever more worrisome and threatening.
 
My main exposure to the Civil War Centennial came in the form of Civil War Trading Cards that came in bubble gum packs. Looking back, they weren't particular historically accurate and the artwork wasn't great; but they certainly captured a 12 year olds attention.
 
My main exposure to the Civil War Centennial came in the form of Civil War Trading Cards that came in bubble gum packs. Looking back, they weren't particular historically accurate and the artwork wasn't great; but they certainly captured a 12 year olds attention.
Yes I had them too, Till I took them to "show and tell" at school and they disappeared. Bubble gum was as hard as hardtack.
 
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Here are a few more Peanuts strips where the Centennial colors what Linus is doing, either singing or wearing a kepi. I'm sure there are a few more in this vein.

I've noticed over the years that in some markets the strips were edited for space by removing the banner and the top tier of frames, with only the title - in this case PEANUTS by CHARLES SCHULZ - like the daily strips. Doing so in this case would remove the Centennial reference altogether.
 
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